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Alaska hunting: King Salmon area: GMU 9 & 10

Species

Unit 9 offers big game hunters good opportunities to harvest moose,
caribou, brown bear, and the occasional black bear. Waterfowl migrate
through subunit 9D in large numbers every fall offering phenomenal
hunting. Waterfowl species include Pacific black brant, two subspecies of Canada
geese, and various ducks.

Parts of
Unit 10, the Aleutian Islands, are populated by caribou and brown bear. Waterfowl continue their migration though Unit 10, which give bird
hunters spectacular hunting prospects. Waterfowl species are the same as
above. However, waterfowl hunting is limited. See the
Alaska
Hunting Regulations for details.

Hunting Seasons

Moose/Caribou

Moose hunting season in Unit 9 typically opens in the beginning of
September and closes in mid month. Caribou seasons vary, but the
majority of the hunting occurs from early August to the end of September.
Historically, September has offered the best chance at a trophy caribou.
Caribou hunting in Unit 10 occurs mostly on Unimak and Adak Islands.

The caribou hunting season for Unimak Island opens to Alaska residents in
early August and is open until the end of September. Non-residents may
take caribou during a shorter season. Caribou hunting on Adak Island is open year-round and
is without bag
limit. Because of the mild climate and absence of predators, this area
offers sport hunters a good chance at harvesting a trophy bull.

Brown Bear

The fall hunting season for brown bears in Unit 9 opens at the beginning of
October and lasts for approximately 3 weeks. Some parts of the area may offer a September hunting season.
Spring hunting season opens in early May and usually closes by the end
of the month. Brown bears can only be hunted
in the fall during odd-numbered years and in the spring in even-numbered
years in most of Unit 9.

Brown bear hunting in Unit 10 is limited to Unimak Island. The fall hunting season opens the beginning of
October and is open until the end of December. The spring hunting season
opens in early May and closes approximately 3 weeks later.

Black Bear

There is no closed season for black bears in Unit 9. However, hunting is
generally limited to the northern portion of subunit 9B because of bear
availability.

Migratory Birds

Waterfowl season in both Units 9 & 10 opens in early September and closes
around mid December.

IMPORTANT: Hunting seasons and bag limits, permit and other requirements
for all species may vary from year to year. This brief synopsis is
only intended to give a general picture. For specific regulations,
see the
Alaska Hunting Regulations.

Geography

Terrain types vary widely in
Unit 9. It is nestled between the rugged Alaska Range on the north and the beautiful
Aleutian Range further down the Peninsula. Forbidding coastal terrain and
wildlife habitat can be found along the Shelikof Strait. Numerous lakes, rivers and streams occupy the landscape
south of King Salmon. Vegetation consists of willows, alders, with mixed spruce
and birch forests in some locations. Wet tundra covers much of the landscape in the lower
elevations with alpine tundra in higher elevations.

Unit 10, the Aleutian Islands, is a chain of volcanic islands that are an
extension of the Aleutian Range located on the Alaska Peninsula. Some of
these volcanoes are still active. The islands separate the Bering Sea from
the Pacific Ocean. This area has numerous reefs and very few good harbors
making navigation treacherous. Nearly treeless, the islands are covered
with tundra and have an abundant growth of grasses, bushes, and sedges.

Transportation

This area can be accessed only with boat or aircraft. King Salmon is
served by daily commercial airline flights including scheduled jet
flights and charter services to and from Anchorage. Bush flights out of
Anchorage, Kenai, and mostly King Salmon provide access to the more remote
regions of this unit. A 4,000 foot stretch of the Naknek River is
designated for float planes. A seaplane base is also located at Lake
Brooks, within the Katmai National Park to the east. Four docks are
available on the Naknek River. The U.S. Park Service, U.S. Fish &
Wildlife, Alaska State Troopers, and the Bristol Bay Borough own these
docks.

Daily scheduled
commercial flights to Unalaska and Adak and charter service from South Central Alaska is also available to this
region. Smaller communities and remote areas in Unit 10 can be accessed
through bush aircraft flying out of Unalaska. A seaplane base is also located
there. The Alaska Marine Highway operates bi-monthly service from Kodiak between
April and October. Unalaska has a small boat harbor that can provide
access to remote regions via smaller fishing vessels.

Weather

The climate in Unit 9 is mainly a maritime climate characterized by cool,
humid, and windy weather. Average summer temperatures range from 42°
Fahrenheit (F) to 63° F; average winter temperatures range from 29° F to 44°
F. Extremes from -46° F to 88° F have been recorded. Total average
precipitation is 20 inches annually, including 45 inches of snowfall. Thick
fog and gusting winds are common during the summer and fall months in parts
of the area.

Unit 10 lies in the maritime climate zone, characterized by persistently
overcast skies, high winds, and frequent cyclonic storms. Winter squalls
can at times produce wind gusts in excess of 100 knots. During the summer and fall,
extensive fog blankets the Bering Sea and makes travel to this area very
difficult. Average temperatures range from 20° F to 60° F, but wind chill
factors can be severe. Total precipitation is 64 inches annually, with an
average accumulated snowfall of 100 inches, primarily in higher elevations.